HCM CITY (VNS)  — The number of books published this year in HCM City reduced by almost half, Tuoi Tre (The Youth) newspaper reported.

City-based publishers Tre (Young), Van Hoa-Van Nghe (Literature and Art-Culture), and Tong Hop (General) told a conference on Wednesday that they published a total of 3,197 titles this year. Their turnover was also down by seven per cent.

Though reprinted titles were up seven per cent, the number of copies fell by 35 per cent. The number of copies of original Vietnamese titles and translations fell by nine and three per cent.

Young publishing house, the most successful this year, reported marginally higher profits though turnover shrank by 3 per cent.

An executive from Fahasa, a joint stock book distribution company, said sales of literature and reference books fell this year due to competition from e-books, and this would be a continuing trend. — VNS